davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
Theatcr Fire trttnguist.ers.

A very ingenious system for the auto
matte extinction of fires in theaters.
devised by Mr.. James Sinclair, of Lon
don, appeared in the Pail Mall Gazette.
1t consists of system of pipes to lead
the water from the main supply, placed
at intervals of ten feet across the cell
ing; and of series of sprinkler heads
about the size of an egg screwed into
the pipes at intervals OF ten feet, so
that each sprinkler commands all fire
within an area of one hundred square
feet on the floor.
These sprinklers consist of plate
and defector. The plate is kept in
its place by means of bismuth solder.
The defector is for the purpose of
breaking the column of water into
spray, which falls in a dense shower
over the flames. The supply of water
is regulated by an automatic valve,
which moves the moment sprinkler
begins to act. Immediately the flames
and heat ascend, the bismuth solder,
which is set to melt at any fixed tenn
perature, say at 100 degrees, melts and
the plate on the sprinkler nearest the
fire falls, the water in the pipes rushes
after it and falls upon the defector
with the force that is behind it, vary
ing from ten pounds to fifty pounds.
The water is broken against the de-
Hector, it then strikes the roof and falls
in copious showers over the flames
within the area of 100 square feet COW
cred by the sprinkler. If the flames,
by their rapidity, should get beyond
that area, the next bismuth solder
melts and sprinkler No. comes into
play, and so on. If the normal tenn
perature of the ceiling OF stage be
higher than 100 degrees, the solder can
be tempered to suit the increase.
As this system is extremely ingen.
ious, has been tried by Mr.. Sinclair in
America and in England with complete
success, and only costs from 9250 to
$500, it is needless to say it will never
be heard of again, says Time, until
perhaps a royal duke or professional
beauty is reduced to ashes, when it will
be reproduced by a government con-
tractor, who will reap million and
baronetcy.-Erchange.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
Mr.. churcll's Experience.

Mr.. P. C. Church, q commercial traveller ior
a. New York hardware house. relates many H. =
tents of the disaster. "A friend ind myself,
said he Thought we would take run over
but we never expected to see what We alter
At Chatsworth there was 9 row Of dead
bodies lying side by side upon the depot paS..
form A piece Of paper pinned to the brea ss
gave the name Of each one. The first body we .
Game to was that Of a Chicago drummer, whose
name can't remember, but he was running
for q large Wholesale grocery house here. we
had met him the day before, and afterwafa 4
learuod that he got on the excursion train at q
little town above Peoria intending to save
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
Shocking Incidents.

Both Mr. Kirk and Mr. Wadsworth relate
many shocking incidents Of the work of resou-
ing which came under their observation. The
latter tells of finding woman OF singular
hardihood who was caught in the tender close
to the engine Both legs were crushed, but she
managed to sit up, and watched and advised
the men who were saving the timbers to re-
lease her. In the end OF one car where MIR.
Kirk worked among the bodies no less than
had gone inside another Ger and its occupants
had oil been jamned together at ono end. The
cur Of Superintendent Armstrong was in the
thick of the wreck and was crushed to pieces,
yet none OF its occupants were injured beyond
scratches. This is accounted for by the cir
cumstance tat there was little in the car to
hurt any one. Its slight contents did not
make q crush SO grinding and close that escape
was unlikely
Mr.. Divine. Of Ellenville, N. Y, was in the
second sleeper from the front. He saw much
Of the tragedy and his account is graphic. 4
had not retired said he, when the first shock
came. had just taken the button from my
collar and was e g91 x. toward with and my
ed at once that there was collision. drop
ped fiat in the alley, and was scarcely Jared:
The shock over got up and went to the irons
eye was the burning culvert. l called all the
men in the car to turn out as quickly as pos
sible to aid those in tbs wrecked day coaches
selves. as it might not be possible to move
the sleeper iu the case OF the fire extending.
Al this time, from the IN moment o. me e. co..,
back in perfect roar I got into
one car and found the little snedaker boy,
whose leg hos since been amputated. next
found little Bertha Blandn, whose mother was
killed. The first thing the little one did when
1 lifted her was to beg me to find her mamma,
and I promised to do so, though was hopeless
as could see three dead women in the cur
then stumbled upon woman whose legs were
twisted together in the tinbers, though they
did not seem to be broken I leaned her back
asainst a cushion while helped boy out,
and when turned back to release her she was
dead. subsequently found that my sleeves
around her neck to raise her, ana suppose her
head must have been crushed, though did not
notice it. There was simply no end to such
scenes and such experiences"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
Tho Mysterious Suicide.

Inquiries regarding the identity Of the man
who shot himself to be rid of his agony are
without avail The best information concern
ing him was obtained Sunday from a man from
senger in one Of the sleepers. Il was awak-
ened," he said. -by bump, as was thrown
against the end Of the berth. and OF course was
soon up and dressed and doing what could to
assist the wounded. heard cries in the field.
and going to the source found young man of
about twenty whose leg was 80 broken that the
bone protruded and whose cries Of agony were
dreadful. went to him, and he said he had
got out OF . wrecked car himself and crawled
to where he then was. got s. mattress and
pillows for him and some water, and lady
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
watches and 500 to any one who would get

watches and S1UJ to any one WHO WouIu go0
"Ihe mon were worse than the women. One
woman, although severely wounded, was try
ing with comforting words to soothe the agony
of the wounded and dying around her. For
more than two hours no one came to their re-
lief and during that time many audible pleas
and prayers were offered for divine assistance;
When assistance did come the first thing asked
for was water That was IN opportunity Tor
the seItishness of humanity to show itself.
They would grab the water cup from the
lips of each other, eager were they to mosten
given to the only living lady in that cur, and
She generously shared it with oil within her T
reach. felt resigned to my situation when !
heard men chopping below me and knew t Aaa
cuad !"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
A Thrilling Story.

Mrs Welsh, the Peoria law librarian, tells q
thrilling tale. She says that when the chair
coached Jclescoped she was thrown forward
fat She could neither move nor speak her
hands were outstretched, and she lay perfectly
conscious for several hours upon her face. The
awful weight Of beam crushed her chest
lief party reached her she was given up for
dead. The groans of the dying filled her soul
with untold horror and anguish, and the shrieks
pierced every fiber within her. Ono man
seized her ankles and tugged furiously to get
her out and gave it up. She heard him
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02

in grief could give them. They lay in the muddy
fields all night with the rain beating down,
while their groans and cries went up in vain.
As fast as baggage could be taken from the
cars no matter whose it was, it was torn open.
and dresses and shirts appropriated for
bandnges to dress the wounds OF the suffering.
After the physicians and nurses had finished
with the trunks thieves rifed them and carried
off what was valuable.
II myself, said Mr. Church, saw the head,
shoulders. and arms Of young woman hang
Ing from car window, and u man went up and
began stripping the rings from her dead fingers.
Some OF the passengers interfere@ and made
him desist
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
The Company Blamed.

On all sides, too, tho railroad officials are
blamed for the accident. It is charged that
the inspection Of the road was neglected. and
this in face Of the fact that it was about to
the line. People think that the officials should
not have been content with the ordinary and
regular inspection Of the track and its sup
ports knowing that hundreds Of souls were
about to go over its line in one long train it is
argued that more than usually careful inves-
tigation of the track SHOULD have been made.
Again, the company is charged with almost
lowing o train Of such length to go over the
line loaded to its full capacity with human
beings
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
Plunderine the Dead.

Mrs. Charles Carlton, of Oneida, one of the
survivors, corroborated the stories Of robberies
in which the vandals cut off the fingers of i'm
prisoned women to secure the rings. Four men
are stated to have swarmed to the front i'm
mediately after the disaster, and to have en-
gagged in the awful sacrilege of stripping the
desolGte dead under cover of darkness and con-
fusion. That such impious pllage prevailed is
not to be denied. Mr.. H. d. Could General
Freight and Passenger Agent of the road,
caught one OF the devils in the act and kicked
him within an inch Of his life, forcing him to
desst Another scoundrel caught in the
act said he was merely securing memento
OF the wreck. J. D. McFadden. one Of Pc
rings were stripped from her fingers. Mrs.
Potthoff, of Third street, was robbed. though
unhurt +. D. Weinette's pockets were turned
watch and s25e were gone. The wife of Capt.
Dalke, the harbor- master, swears that her hus-
band was stripped Of $4.755, and there are
three in number, were robbed,
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02

station at which the train stopped the brakes
were not thrown off Of one Of the coaches, and
when it. started the coupling broke, which
All these delays threw tho train over an hour
late. and it was running at terrific speed to
make up for lost time. Mr.. Murphy says the
was too slow. When Mr.. Murphy and his wife
stepped on the train they entered the second
car e from the sleeper but finding no two seats
cars further ana tried to get seats in it They
failed, and to this failure they owe their lives
as t every one in that car was killed. Returning
two seats which had been turned SO as to face
each other which were occupied by E s. Hnr-
ter and wife, Of Peoria On expressing wish
courteously complied, and they sat down and
were chatting pleasantly up to the time of the
disaster: These seats were in the rear, and Of
fve, only Ave were saved-Mr. Murphy and
wife, Mr.. Harter and wife, and one other, UNI
known. The first intimation Of tho disaster
was humping sound, followed almost imme-
diately by sound resembling the Missing Of
steam, caused by the cars sliding over each
other. The next minute passed as though in
he was badly bruised and that the car was in
ruins. There were few groans, as nearly ell
were killed as quickly as though struck by
with the exception Of the little corner occu-
pied by the party alluded to. In that corner,
Tor some reason, it was still hanging, but vibra-
Clue DUCK ana Ioftn as InOugh IL might fall at
any moment. A bright light shone in through
the roofess car caused by the fire on the bridge
and probably from tho reflection from the loco
motive headlight, and Mrs. Murphy exclaimed,
MY Godl The train is on fire." Mr.. Murphy.
whose shirt was covered with blood. realized
Tor the first time that he was badly hurt. Mr..
through, and was followed by his wife The
light by this time mad gone down. and in the
midst OF the almost Egyptian darkness that
through the window and stood on the outside,
when he realized that he was at a considerable
height from the ground. How far he did not
if he could safely, for her to follow. He then
leaped into the unknown distance, found it
about nine feet, encouraged his wife to do the
same, and, being strong, stalwart man. was
able to catch her in his arms and hold her.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
the RAILROAD DISASTER.
Scenes and Incidents of the
Terrible Wreck at Chats
worth, Illinois.
Miraculous Escapes and Awful
Experiences of Surviving
Passengers.
Plundering the Dcad-Tle Rail.
road Company Bitterly
Censured.
At the Scene Of tho wrec,..

At INC Scene Of the Wreck,
close inspection of the wreck causaa ono n
1 wonder how single person escaped death.
inc mon momentum of the train must have been
appalling The cars not only telescoped but in
On the flooring Of one car the buIkheua OF the
rear car had torn the boards up for distance
OF ten feet Iron work had been torn and
lions, and stoves crushed into fragments. It
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02

sWA1K slower. papa" cried the little
girl, whose short steps were no match
for those of her masculine progenitor.
"Can't you 60 nice and slow like police
MANI"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
,,sjp and Gleanings About
Plays, Players, and
Play Houses.
r7H A LITTLE HUMOR ADDED.
is and anecdotes of Heavy Tragedians,
Mqht Comedians, and Bright
Soubrettes.
Bona,azas tn Plays.

uEor fifteen or twenty years, said
Arthur Wallack the other day,
Iosedale' brought into my parlor an
erase profit each year of twenty or
entv-fve thousand dollars. 1t was
yivcd almost every season at Wal
ek's Theater, and invariably had q
F,sperous run for five, six, or eight
esks, and whenever my father went
airing, for which he was assured q
rtainty of $4,000 q week, 'Rosedale'
4, his piece de resistance, and it in
riably drew infinitely more than was
bid for it, For some years it has not
cen performed and I think the country
ill Welcome it as gladly as ever"
Probably the next most notable sue
ess, from financial standpoint, of re-
Int years was "Shaughraun." This
(av, Boucicault has said, has Melted
i'm in the fourteen years it has been
existence between 100000 and
$4,000. the profits during one sea-
ouas Wallack's Theater where it was
Ent done amounted to nearly 5000. 900,
hough such figure seems almost in
redible. When it is considered, how
YER that the receipts ran month after
onth at the rate of So, 500 night the
sssregato of profit will not seem so
rge.
Another tremendously successful
ece from financial if not literary
pndpoint, was "The Two Orphans.
lie original production here was in
F72, and D'Ennery, the author, was
bid $3.50 for any rights he could sell
the piece for America. The late
Fart Jackson was given $3.50 to make
be dramatization, and that may be
bid to be all the piece ever cost. The
|rofts of its first year were about
100000 in the little Union Square
heater. Tt went on rolling up wealth
pr its proprietors at the rate of $780,
20 or $4,000 year for a number of
easons, and about the time that the
PONCE was squeezed dry it was given
b Kate Claxton, who has never made
success in another piece, and who,
liter sixteen years, still continues her
rginal part.
The play which after these will
robably figure up the biggest amount
i profits will doubtless be "Jim the
'enman." It made since its initial
reduction in Chicago about this time
sst year 100000 for the Madison
'lnare management, being, in dra-
latic way, the most continuously sue
sssful of all the productions of the
ear i'll New York.
These are plays which have depended
Or success upon their own intrinsic
lerlt and not necessarily upon the star.
would be easy, of course, to mention
dozen or two of pieces which have
cen enormously successful, but wholly
rough the Identification with them Of
ell-known people.
For instance, what would Grip Van
'nkle' have been without Joe Jeffer-
IN? What would "Adonis" amount to
1thout Dixey, and what chances of
lccoss would Joshua Whitcomb"
ave turned out had not Denman
thompson given it life?
The several instances quoted prove
lat a stock play is as good as any to
rite if the mere obtaining of money
the object. In fact it is better, for
afs are in the habit of attributing all
le success made to themselves.-N. Y.
OlnlluL.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
An Infant,s yyon,ierful Escape.

Mrs. C. A. Dewey and little boy, OF Canton,
were in the wreck She said that the urchin
was found beneath o heavy timber, strange to
say, unframed. The only sign of an accident
about the bright youngster were the blood
stains on his clothes.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
A Chicago Mans Thrilling Experience.

Thomas Trim m, Chicago commercial trav-
eler, tells the following story Il was sitting on
the coal-box in the rear of the fifth coach back
of the baggage-car, and the first warning had
Of tie accident was cracking sound from the
front and realized ut once that there was trou-
BILE. In q moment the ear I was in began to
bell-cord, but missed it; and at that moment
the car was telescoped. The lights went out.
and instantly found myself wedged in as in
wise between the door of the car at my back and
ear-seats irons, beams, sticks, and q heap Of
humanity, dead and alive, all around me. I
soon found that my legs were wedged in SO that
to feel around near me to learn what was hold
ing my legs. 1t was very dark, and could not
see anything.
and oil around me were the bleeding dead and
wounded. Under my right arm was man
struggling and crying for help, but in short
time I knew that he was dead The air was
filled with the most melancholy and heart
rending cries, some calling out the names of
loved ones either in the wreck or left at home.
and others begging for aid. For three hours
horrors of the situation could smell smoke
and see blaze and sparks, and of course /
thought the cars were at1re, and believed that il
The dread of being wedged in there, with all
my senses retained, and having fire slowly
creeping upon me to surely roast me was too
horrible to be told-it must be experienced to
be fully realized.
AT first when I learned that Twas not Sc
riously injured had hopes of getting out
sooner or later, but when turned my head
and, looking out, saw sparks my heart sank,
aud longed for my gun so that when the Are
would be too close to be bearable could end
my life. tried to get my po,ket-knife out to
use if found that I was to be roasted but
could not get into my pocket Great beads OF
sweat ran down my face. bnt my mouth and
tongue were parched Every one and every
thing in our car was confined in space about
ten feet square, and about two thirds of those
in the car were killed outright. while all were
injured more or less. I was the least hurt of
any in the car. Many men were Offering gold
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02

DECLARE, Charley" exclaimed Glare,
"you take the words right out of my
mouth" ooh, mammal" piped in the little
pitcher, "now know what Glare and Char
ley were doing when she let him I'M"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02

who had brandy gave him some Of that. He
talked reasonably for moment or two. and
then said he was from Macomb. in Macoupin
him. and his only reply was Stay with me-
He seemed to fear being left alone. Just then
heard woman screaming and told him I
when heard pistol-shot He had shot him
self in the forehead"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02
A Remarkable Escape.

Mr.. Murphy, farmer living at Cuba, Fulton
County, lii, in speaking Of the disaster, says
he felt q premonition that one would come to
the train from the time it started. In the FIRST
place, he did not believe it was good railroad
Ing to place both engines in front The terrible
any frail bridge. The train started half an
hour late. ari ste ped quite while on the
other side q the Illinois River. At another
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02

was as if cyclone had lifted the train up
boldly, whirled it round with resistless force
and then dashed it to the earth in chaotic
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02

Lesson for Sept 4: sTrust in Our Heavenly
Father Matt 6: 24-34
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02

[e fol1
the cro
| lest MVq|
e had |
Ire sill
I'D to u,
/ brea1.|
|rrelo!f
|old bTI
TO ssy,I
banaq
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-02

next ri
were adj
Mt and !
battery
Sioux Ci
ed to vi
action
Ell the q
chaplain
and theI
be call \
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-06-26
A Divers Fight with . shark.
From tie london Telegraph

4 diver named Quintree had remarkable
dro kind Of shark which infes the breton coast at
Douarnensx the other day. Quntree had q narrow
Ssssaps The dys. an old salt BY the
srended In diving apparatus on the Pier
to that structure. - NA
While he was at the bottom OF the sea the men who
were worrying the air pump In the pont0op boat above
Ts tuIasn,y frightened oy feeling the alarm SsnA
nearly eight feet long 10 the surface The marine mon
head formed three quarters OF his length and his
under Jaws were Of Immense size shortly aftsrwari
Quintree came up hts hand the air pipe OF his he'll
Wss AMI his diving apparatus somewhat damaged
when ne went down TO his work he had scarcely got
70 ne ia.t rgns o. the ladder when he saw the
MS hands only his stone chisel and and he In
too fast for him, Wv -
II came toward him through the green water with its
ennrmoub Jaws wide open. Without losing a moment
Qnintree managed wound the animal IN the throat
with his chi.el and thea held II down on Stone while
ne drsw his knife and made hole In Its body through
which he PAaAed rope and thus sent the nah 10 the
snrtsee lad Il not been for hS qucknsss and
ty the dyer owing 20 the rents which the dsh woaId
make IN HI. apparatus would have been droWnsd and
Va nos only Ssieaisd 6af sateh for s body vss a.
sAnatAi esAilAAaLiAs a u nEima marta.